World Heritage Identification Number: 584
World Heritage since: 1994
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Religious Sites & Sacred Architecture
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇫🇮 Finland
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Petäjävesi Old Church: A Unique Testimony of Wooden Church Architecture in Finland
The Petäjävesi Old Church, nestled in the picturesque town of Petäjävesi in central Finland, stands as a remarkable testament to the rich architectural heritage of the Nordic countries. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, this wooden church offers a fascinating glimpse into the past, blending elements of Renaissance design with older forms derived from Gothic groin vaults.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Petäjävesi Old Church, in central Finland, was built of logs between 1763 and 1765. This Lutheran country church is a typical example of an architectural tradition that is unique to eastern Scandinavia. It combines the Renaissance conception of a centrally planned church with older forms deriving from Gothic groin vaults.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iv): Petäjävesi Old Church is an outstanding example of the architectural tradition of wooden churches in northern Europe.
Encyclopedia Record: Petäjävesi Old Church
The Petäjävesi Old Church is a wooden church located in Petäjävesi, Finland. It was built between 1763 and 1765, when Tavastia was still a part of Sweden. The bell tower was built in 1821. It was inscribed in 1994 on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its testimony to the wooden church architecture of the Nordic countries.Additional Site Details
Area: 2.98 hectares
Number of Components: 1
Coordinates: 62.25 , 25.18333
Image
© Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Petäjävesi Old Church from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Patina and Its Formation on a Wooden Church Floor - Case Petäjävesi Old Church and Viikki Church in Helsinki
Wooden church floors, such as those in Petäjävesi Old Church and Viikki Church, develop patina—a natural aging process—through everyday wear from actions like walking or dropping objects. This study reveals that even modern wooden floors can acquire patina, though the process is influenced by contemporary maintenance practices and societal perceptions of aging. The research combines literature review with direct observations, highlighting the interplay between tradition, preservation concerns, and material transformation in historic and new church environments.
Silvo, J. (2023). PATINA AND ITS FORMATION ON A WOODEN CHURCH FLOOR - CASE PETÄJÄVESI OLD CHURCH AND VIIKKI CHURCH IN HELSINKI. World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2023), 593–598. https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0081
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